The General Assembly,
 
      Reaffirming its resolutions 45/190 of 21 December 1990, 46/150 of 18
December 1991, 47/165 of 18 December 1992 and 48/206 of 21 December 1993,
 
      Recalling Economic and Social Council resolutions 1990/50 of 13 July
1990, 1991/51 of 26 July 1991 and 1992/38 of 30 July 1992 and Council decision
1993/232 of 22 July 1993,
 
      Taking note of the decisions adopted by the organs, organizations and
programmes of the United Nations system in the implementation of General
Assembly resolutions 45/190, 46/150, 47/165 and 48/206,
 
      Noting with appreciation the contribution made by Member States and by
organizations of the United Nations system to the development of cooperation
to mitigate and minimize the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, and the
activities of regional and other organizations, in particular the Commission
of the European Communities, as well as bilateral activities and those of
non-governmental organizations,
 
      Welcoming the commitments made by Member States in the Declaration on
the Occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the United Nations, adopted on 24
October 1995, to intensify cooperation on natural disaster reduction and major
technological and man-made disasters, disaster relief, post-disaster
rehabilitation and humanitarian assistance in order to enhance the
capabilities of affected countries to cope with such situations,
 
      Conscious of the forthcoming tenth anniversary of the disaster at the
Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which became the largest technological
catastrophe in terms of its scope and created humanitarian, environmental,
social, economic and health consequences and problems of common concern,
requiring for their solution wide and active international cooperation and
coordination of efforts in this field at the international and national
levels,
 
      Expressing profound concern about the ongoing effects on the lives and
health of people, particularly children, in the affected areas of Belarus, the
Russian Federation and Ukraine, as well as in other countries most affected by
the Chernobyl disaster,
 
      Noting the readiness of Ukraine in principle to close the Chernobyl
nuclear power plant by the year 2000, bearing in mind the need for adequate
support from relevant countries and international organizations for that
purpose, 
 
      Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General of 8 September 1995
on the implementation of resolution 48/206,
 
      1.    Requests the Secretary-General to continue his efforts in the
implementation of General Assembly resolutions 45/190, 46/150, 47/165 and
48/206 and, through existing coordination mechanisms, in particular the United
Nations Coordinator of International Cooperation on Chernobyl, to continue to
maintain close cooperation with the agencies of the United Nations system, as
well as with regional and other relevant organizations, with a view to
encouraging the regular exchange of information, cooperation and coordination
of multilateral and bilateral efforts in those areas, while implementing
programmes and specific projects, inter alia, in the framework of relevant
agreements and arrangements;
 
      2.    Invites Member States, in particular donor States, relevant
multilateral financial institutions and other concerned parties of the
international community, including non-governmental organizations, to provide
support to the ongoing efforts made by Belarus, the Russian Federation and
Ukraine to cope with the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, and requests
the Secretary-General to appeal to Member States to continue and intensify
that assistance;
 
      3.    Notes the establishment in Ukraine of an International Scientific
and Technological Centre for Nuclear and Radiological Accidents as an
important step towards enhancing the capabilities of the international
community to study, mitigate and minimize the consequences of such accidents,
and invites all interested parties to take part in its activities;
 
      4.    Declares 26 April 1996 International Day Commemorating the Tenth
Anniversary of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident, and invites Member
States to conduct appropriate activities to commemorate this tragic event and
to enhance public awareness of the consequences of such disasters for human
health and the environment throughout the world;
 
      5.    Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly
at its fifty-second session, under a separate sub-item, a report on the
implementation of the present resolution.